Don’t Breathe has been one of the surprise hits of the late summer. Made for less than $10 million, it has already made nine times that amount in the USA alone. It is an effective chiller but it does have two big flaws.
It sets up an interesting premise: three young thieves try to rob a house only to find that they are trapped inside, with the owner, a blind ex serviceman, trying to kill them. It puts you in the position of being conflicted in that these are not nice people, but you start to root for them to survive. But then the writers, Fede Alvarez (who also directs) and Rodo Sayagues lose the courage of their convictions and give the plot an unnecessary twist. Worse than that, for a reason that I can’t fathom, a clip from towards the end of the film is shown right at the start, lessening the tension for a good while after that.
Having said all of that, there are things to recommend this for too. Alvarez’s direction, particularly a sweeping tracking shot as they first enter the house, is impressive throughout. The running time is a nicely taut 88 minutes and Jane Levy – previously only known to me from the sitcom Suburgatory – is very good as the most resourceful of the thieves.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10